Bonnie H Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I would like to find some easy patterns, like Turning Twenty, to use up leftover fabrics from piecing quilt tops, to piece and use on the back of the quilt. (My fabric stash is out of hand for the size of my house and I need to stop hoarding! LOL) I am wondering if anyone has ideas for other patterns that are simple to put together for backings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Be really careful. If you piece a backing, you have to make sure it's really flat and square, or you're going to get puckers. I use wide backs for my quilt backings and add extra pieces to my stash to make scrap quilts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I for one, love pieced backings. You can cut your leftover fabric into 10-1/2" squares, and sew randomly into a back...my favorite. Best thing about this one is it is easy to figure out how many squares you need to build the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zora Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I hate pieced backs. The grain is going in every direction. You don't know where the seams are in relation to the seams on the quilt front. Pleats and puckers are a big problem if it isn't pieced perfectly. Ugh..... I actually had to take one completely off the frame, take out the SID I had done, starch the crap out of it and put it back on the frame. Now, they all get the crap starched out of them for general principles. It helps some. I would prefer to use up the bits and pieces in charity quilts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 My advice for piecing backers is to use the biggest pieces you can manage and have all seams parallel. Then load with the seams parallel to the rollers. That way there is less chance of puckers and tucks--and there are no vertical seams to stack as you advance and cause hammocks on either side. If all you want to do is use up stash, this is a good method. If you want to be more creative and artistic, piece something beautiful and go for it. You will soon learn what works and what doesn't. I have one loaded with a multiple-direction pieced backer with some strips only 3 inches wide and running all across. Not much is straight but it will be pretty when finished. Here is another thing to consider--plot the backer before loading so there is no chance that any of the edges of the quilt top will end up near a backer seam. It's difficult to bind the quilt when the last half-inch of backer includes a seam. And most times the seam won't run completely parallel to the outside edge--looks very bad from the back. Can you tell I've had some experience with these issues?? Yuck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 check out bonnie hunter's site... quiltville.com she pieces her backings and quilts e2e's on most of her quilts. they turn out beautiful...and reversible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Bonnie is very talented and very experienced (not that I'm saying any of you aren't). I've yet to see a pieced backing that worked well with any of the quilts I've gotten in. I'd much rather have a nice scrappy quilt than a nice quilt with a bunch of seams from the back messing up the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 one back i did: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 another using 10-1/2" squares to make backing: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilted charm Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I like pieced backs if I do them, because I know what works and what doesn't work on the longarm. Your talking a whole different ballgame though if the customer wants to do a pieced backing. They don't know what will work, and what will cause problems. I can barely get my customers to understand why they need to make sure they have extra fabric for the backing:P I'm sure Bonnie if you are doing it for yourself you won't have any problems. By the way, Kristina, I especially like those black and white log cabins on your backing. Very striking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynne in Iowa Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Kristina, I like the 10 1/2" square idea for backs. I usually make scrap charity quilt fronts like that but never thought of it for backs too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cblevins Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I use my studio cutter to cut scraps that are big enough into 10 inch squares and use them much like Kristina does for backing....love them. I haven't had any problems at all. I have stacks of 10 inch squares . If my scraps are too small I cut out 5 inch squares. I also have baskets of dresden plate pieces that were cut from scraps with the accucut. I use everything I can and then donate the rest to a greyhound rescue org. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 one other thing about the large squares...the seams evenly run vertical as well as horizontal. this has never caused me a problem when loading and quilting. also, i do not fret over the direction of directional prints. just sew squares into twosies...then rows. the backs are quite interesting this way....and it uses a fair bit of yardage for a large quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Pieced backs can be very very temperamental. The one Kristina did with the longer pieces and orphan blocks I really loved. And those are easiest to sew. If you try centering and you miss in my book oh well. But customers can get upset if they don't see equal fabric on all four sides. Love them for myself hated quilting for customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iedquilts Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I attended a trunk show where Margaret Miller ( author- Strips that Sizzle) had several of her quilts with pieced backings- lovely. she had used fat q's on some and others just pieced yardage remnants. i do the same for charity quilts and throw in a pillow case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie H Posted February 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I love pieced backings on a quilt. They are such fun. Kristina, thank you for posting your photos. I love the bright colored backing one you made! My first experience with pieced backings was when I saw Bonnie Hunter's site years ago. Those of us that have long arms can really appreciate a well-pieced quilt, and that goes the same for backings, too. I've never had any trouble on the long arm with my pieced backings, but I'm sure I would DREAD getting one from a customer. UGH!!! Speaking of pieced quilt backings, I just noticed a a few quilts I have in my closet that have pieced backings. Some of them were done with the CL, so at Vickie Oliver's pleading I'm uploading them to the CL challenge so we can get to the 300 minimum. Some of them are kinda ugly, and they have all be used before my photo-taking, but in an effort to do my part to get to the 300 marker, I've uploaded them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littleshoes Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I admire that you have the patience to piece your backs. By the time my quilt top is finished, I want instant gratification and don't want to piece a backing for it. Fat backs for my quilts.... I save the scraps for a scrappy top. I love your backs! Carol PA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitomi Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 Sometimes, I take some fabric that I used in the front quilt top and use it for the back (especially if I am only 8 or 10 inches short in the width) Insert it sightly to one side. This one was a crib size quilt and couldn't see wasting double the fabric. It gives a nice design to the quilt back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.